Roosevelt Bond Proposal Moves Forward

On June 12, the Roosevelt Elementary School District Governing Board unanimously voted to call a special bond election for the district. The support helps pave the way for voters to decide whether the district will receive $60 million in funding for new facilities and remodeling outdated school sites.

Also approved during the meeting was a resolution calling for a Special Capital Outlay Override election that could bring an additional $1.3 million into the district for new furniture, equipment and technology. The extra funding is needed because bond money can only cover construction-related expenses.

The election is scheduled for Nov. 6.

Enrollment in the Roosevelt Elementary School District has topped 13,000 students. To expand academic and extracurricular offerings, district officials are currently considering changing the configuration of the schools from K-8 to K-5 with middle schools consisting of sixth, seventh and eighth grades. It is anticipated that four or five middle schools, with approximately 1,000 students at each, are needed.

The next step in the bond process is drafting a pro/con pamphlet, which is under the direction of the district’s superintendent, Dr. Mark Dowling.

“We’re in the process of working with (Maricopa) County Elections and bond counsel attorney in putting that together, but nothing needs to go back to the board,” said Dr. Ken Garland, executive director of support services for the Roosevelt Elementary School District.

An advertisement seeking public comments will run in the Arizona Republic within the next couple of weeks.

“It will be an open public invitation to provide a pro statement or provide a con statement of 200 words or less, and those who submit them in the right kind of format will get published in the pamphlet,” Garland added.

Statements must be received by the county elections department by early August, and the pamphlet will be among the election materials distributed to voters.